


we both got the blues

by alotofthingsdifferent



Series: think of all the doors we'll open [3]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Established Relationship, First Fight, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-20
Updated: 2015-04-20
Packaged: 2018-03-24 23:20:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3788089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alotofthingsdifferent/pseuds/alotofthingsdifferent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <span>"Brent and Duncs dated?" Jonny says, and everyone can hear the hurt in his voice.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<span>"Shit," Sharpy says, covering his face with one hand. "It was a long time ago, Jonny.  A really long time ago</span>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	we both got the blues

**Author's Note:**

> Just a fluffy little timestamp. 
> 
> find me on [tumblr](http://alotofthingsdifferent.tumblr.com).

Labor Day weekend always means a party at Brent’s place.

It’s become an annual thing, or so he’s told. This is his first of many, he hopes, and he’s enjoying himself lounging on Brent’s deck with Kaner, enjoying a beer in the sun. 

“Hey, Abby,” he says in greeting when Sharpy’s wife joins them on the deck. “Good to see you. It’s been awhile.”

“Good to see you too, Jon. Even better to see that you and Brent have finally gotten your shit together, huh?” She grins at him and he laughs, a light blush coloring his cheeks.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t want to get fired for breach of ethics or anything,” he jokes, and Abby smiles warmly. 

“Seriously, though. I’m glad you guys worked it out. I haven’t seen Brent this happy since Duncan,” she says, taking a sip of her lemonade.

Jonny frowns, his throat a little tight. “What?” he asks, trying to keep his voice steady. She can’t possibly mean _Duncs._

Abby nods. “I gotta say, I was pretty surprised when they broke up. But it turns out they’re better off as friends, I guess.”

“Are you – what?” Kaner’s looking nervously between them, and he shoots Abby a look that she must read immediately because she puts her hand to her mouth. Sharpy chooses that moment to show up next to her. “Hello, beautiful.” No one says a word, and Abby looks stricken. “Uh. What’s going on?”

Abby gives Sharpy a helpless look and says softly, “I thought he knew, I didn’t–”

“Brent and Duncs dated?” Jonny says, and everyone can hear the hurt in his voice.

“Shit,” Sharpy says, covering his face with one hand. “It was a long time ago, Jonny. A really long time ago.”

“How long?” Jonny asks, jaw clenched.

Sharpy rubs the back of his neck, avoids Jonny’s eyes. “How _long_ , Sharpy?”

“Three years.” Jonny gasps and stands up quickly, his knee hitting the patio table and spilling Kaner’s beer. “Excuse me,” he says, and disappears into the house

Jonny gets in the house only to find Brent laughing with Duncs. His face feels hot – god, he’s so fucking embarrassed, he can’t imagine what Duncs must think. He remembers asking all those questions at the Christmas party, grilling Duncs about the guy Brent was with, and he feels like a complete idiot. 

Brent catches his eye and smiles, waves him over, but Jonny just glares and fishes his keys out of his pocket. He’s gotta get out of here.

Brent’s on his heels before he’s even out the door. “Hey, what’s going on?” he asks. “Where are you going?”

“Don’t touch me,” Jonny snaps, pulling his arm out of Brent’s grasp. 

“What – Jonny, what happened?”

“How could you lie to me like that?” Jonny nearly shouts, and now people are looking their way. He covers his face with his hands. “I can’t do this here. I gotta go.”

Brent looks confused, pained. “Talk to me, babe.”

Jonny shakes his head, reaches for the door. “You and Duncan,” he says tightly.

It takes Brent a moment, but then realization dawns on his face. “Jonny, I didn’t–”

“Don’t, ok? Just. I gotta go.”

Brent stands in the doorway, helpless, as Jonny drives away.

Brent texts him an hour later. 

_can we talk?_

Jonny ignores it. He really doesn’t feel like talking right now.

His phone beeps again, and it’s Kaner this time. _you ok, man?_

_yeah, just fine. found out my boyfriend dated a guy he works with for THREE YEARS and never told me about it. it’s cool._

_give him a break, man. he loves you._

_not talking about this with you, kaner._

He turns his phone on silent and ignores it the rest of the night.

But he can’t avoid Brent forever, and he knows that, so when Brent calls the next day, he answers.

“What.”

“Jonny,” Brent says, and he sounds relieved to hear Jonny’s voice. “Baby, I’m so sorry, just – can I see you? Talk this out?”

Jonny sighs, drags his hand down his face. “Fine.”

“I’ll be there soon, ok?”

Jonny just hangs up.

“Hey,” he says sheepishly when Jonny opens the door. He comes in, closes it behind him, and follows Jonny into the living room. He stands there awkwardly for a moment, then sits down on the couch, close to Jonny but not too close. “I should have told you.”

Jonny snorts, annoyed. “You think?”

“I just – there was never a good time, and I didn’t want you to think –”

“Never a good time? Jesus, Brent, we were just talking about this a few weeks ago! You didn’t think to tell me _then_ that it was Duncs you were bringing on vacations? That _Duncs_ was your last serious relationship? You dated him for _three years,_ Brent, you didn’t think that was an important thing to tell me?”

“I know,"Brent says, and he reaches out for Jonny, but pulls his hand back when Jonny leans away. "I know, and I’m _sorry_. The thing with Duncs – it was _years_ ago, Jon, we were young and yeah, it lasted a long time, but not because we were in love. It was just – it was easy, and he was my best friend.”

“And what about me, huh?” Jonny spits. “Is it easy with me? Am I am your best friend.”

“That’s not fair,” Brent says. “You _know_ how I feel about you.”

“Do I?”

Brent’s face clouds and he looks away, jaw clenching. “Look. I get why you’re upset. I _do_. But to assume that I don’t love you because I didn’t tell you – that’s not even _close_ to fair, Jonny.”

“God, he must just think I’m pathetic,” Jonny says, mostly to himself.

“Who? Duncan? Why would he –”

“Fuck, Brent, I acted like a jealous _child_ at your Christmas party last year. Jesus, I was shooting daggers at that guy all night, and Duncs had to be the one to tell me it wasn’t serious. _Fuck._ ”

“ _No_ ,” Brent says. “No, Jonny, he – he’s known for awhile. How I feel about you. He knew then.”

“Oh, so you guys talked about me. That’s super.”

“He’s my best friend, Jonny!” Brent says, raising his voice.

“Your best friend who you also happened to be banging for three years, taking vacations with –”

“You’re being a dick.”

“What if I’d dated Kaner and didn’t tell you?”

“That’s not –”

“Oh, yes it is. How would you feel?”

Brent hangs his head, wrings his hands between his knees. “I’d be pissed.”

“Or how about Dan, my best friend back home,” Jonny says, standing up. “What if I’d fucked him? I’ve told you all about him, what if we’d had history and I never told you?”

Brent looks up at him, eyes searching Jonny’s face. 

“I’m sorry, Jonny.”

“Yeah,” Jonny says. “Me too.”

“Sweetheart,” Brent says, soft, standing up. “You gotta know that’s in the past, ok?”

Jonny doesn’t reply. His back is still to Brent. “I feel like an idiot. _Everyone_ knew, Brent. God, I feel like an idiot.”

“I’m sorry,” Brent says, again, and he moves closer, reaching out to touch Jonny’s lower back. “I should have told you, you’re right. I’ll tell you anything you want to know, babe. You just gotta ask.”

“Feels like too little too late, Brent. and I don’t – fuck, I don’t _wanna_ know. I don’t want any details. I just – it would have been nice to have not been blindsided by this.”

“I know,” Brent says, taking a risk and wrapping his arms around Jonny’s waist, resting his chin on Jonny’s shoulder. “What can I do to fix it?”

“I don’t know,” Jonny admit softly. “I just – I think you should go.”

Brent’s shoulders sag, but he doesn’t argue. “I love you, Jon,” he says, pressing a kiss to Jonny’s temple. “Remember that, ok?”

Jonny nods and pretends it doesn’t hurt like hell when Brent walks out the door.

Two (very long) days pass. Jonny’s miserable, but he’s still really hurt and can’t bring himself to call Brent.

He’s dozing off on the couch, Sportscenter looping on the TV, when his phone rings. The name flashing on the screen is the last one he expected to see.

He clears his throat. “Hello?”

“Hey, man,” comes Duncan’s voice. “This is probably out of line, but – you got a minute?”

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, sure,” Jonny says, sitting up. 

"Cool. Look, uh. It’s kinda my fault Brent never told you about us.”

“Okay…”

“I didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable or anything, when I figured out that you guys had like, heart-eyes for each other,” Duncan says. “Brent fell for you hard, man, and then when you guys started dating, it just – it was never a good time to tell you.”

Jonny’s silent, chewing on his lower lip.

“Brent and I broke up because we’re way better off as friends. We’ve never gone back, ok? No hooking up after the breakup or anything. I swear.”

“Okay,” Jonny repeats.

“He wanted to tell you, Jonny. After you guys came back from New York, he was so pissed at me for making him keep it from you.”

“He – really?” 

“Yeah, man. Really. I wasn’t trying to be a dick, I swear, I just. Didn’t want it to be weird for you. He’s crazy about you, you gotta know that.”

Jonny smiles a little at that. “Yeah. I’m pretty crazy about him too.”

“I know,” Duncan says fondly. “So anyway, yeah. Sorry for causing so much trouble between you guys.”

“We’re good, man. Thanks for calling.”

Jonny’s got his keys in hand before he even hangs up the phone.

“Hey,” Brent says, and the surprise at seeing Jonny on his doorstep shows on his face. He steps to the side to let Jonny in.

“I miss you,” Jonny admits.

Brent nods, and Jonny takes a step in, lets his hands come to rest on Brent’s hips. “Duncs called me.”

“He – what? What did he say?”

Jonny shrugs, brushing his nose against Brent’s. “Nothing. Everything. It doesn’t matter. What matters is we’re good. You and me.”

Brent lets out a sigh and rests his forehead on Jonny’s shoulder. “I wanted to tell you.”

“I know you did,” Jonny says softly, his hand slipping up the back of Brent’s loose t-shirt, coming to rest between his shoulderblades. “I probably overreacted, I just –”

“No, you didn’t,” Brent says, lifting his head to meet Jonny’s eyes. “I should have told you.”

“Yeah,” Jonny agrees. “You should have. But I forgive you.”

“Thanks,” Brent says against Jonny’s mouth as he pulls him in for a soft, sweet kiss. “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

“Hey Jon,” Brent says, kissing his way down Jonny’s jaw. “You didn’t really date Kaner, did you?”

Jonny laughs and makes a face. “Absolutely not. Have you _seen_ his hair?”


End file.
